Just a few days before the start of the NBA Finals, LeBron James was forced to step away from basketball with the shocking reminder that racism knows no bounds. The future hall of famer spoke to the press after it was revealed that someone spreay-painted racial slurs on the front gate of his Los Angeles residence. NBC reports that the phrase used was “the n-word.”

“.. it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America,” he said during a press conference. “And hate in America, especially for African-Americans, is living every day.”

James wasn’t home at the time of the incident and his family is safe, which is the most important thing. However, the sobering experience gave James an opportunity to speak out on racism in America.

“No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough, and we got a long way to go,” James said.

By the time authorities arrived on the scene, the slur had already been painted over. Officers will use video footage to try and find a culprit. Hopefully, the four-time MVP and three-time champion will be able to place his focus back on basketball as he prepares to face off against the Golden State Warriors for the third time.

Keith Reid-Cleveland is a proud product of Chicago's Southside and the Missouri School of Journalism. The Black Youth Project News Editor has written about politics, race and entertainment for multiple publications, such as Uproxx, The Undefeated, Black Nerd Problems, Comic Book Resources and more.

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